Cyclone separator

ABSTRACT

A cyclone separator is carried on the free end of a horizontal manifold which overhangs a pair of underflow collecting buckets and which is mounted to swivel about a vertical axis so that the cyclone can be positioned over either of the buckets to enable one bucket to be removed and emptied while the cyclone discharges into the other bucket.

2X 1 H N 1/ 21 .4 1

end of a of underwhich is mounted to Dec. 11, 1973 3,707,174 12/1972 2,442,234 5/1948 Dunmire....... 3,025,965 3/1962 Bergman...... 1,189,748 7/1916 Southard...... 3,568,847 3/1971 Carr.......... 3,622,047 11/1971 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 934,384 8/1963 Great Britain.,....................

Primary ExaminerWayne A. Morse, Jr. Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann [57] ABSTRACT A cyclone separator is carried on the free horizontal manifold which overhangs a pair flow collecting buckets and Mark R. Estabrook, Rockford, 111. Assignee: Barnes Drill Col, Rockford, Ill.

[22] Filed: July 21, 1971 141/279, 141/270, 141/284, 141/378,141/387 Int. B67d 5/02, 367d 5/36, 1365b 3/26 Field of Search.................... 141/279, 284, 378, 141/270, 387-388; 210/512 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS United States Patent 1 Estabrook 1 1 CYCLONE SEPARATOR [75] lnventor:

[21] Appl.No.: 164,535

0.66 .DMH m m mw e nme h m C Y k 1 5 h r. etw u how g t .l m e F h n g t m .m e w r m D a 3 d a m .l a 1 C l swivel about a vertical axis so positioned over either of the hue bucket to be remove discharges into the other bucket.

u 1 5 mm 60 WW 1 CYCLONE SEPARATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to apparatus for decontaminating dirty liquid and, more particularly, to apparatus of the type in which the dirty liquid is swirled downwardly within a cyclone separator which discharges the contaminants downwardly and produces a reverse upward flow of clean liquid. The downwardly discharged contaminants are collected in an underflow bucket which is periodically removedfrom the apparatus and emptied.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary aim of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus of the above character which enables operation of the separator to be continued while the underflow bucket is being emptied and which, at the same time, facilitates easier removal and replacement of the underflow bucket.

A more detailed object is to achieve the foregoing by positioning two underflow buckets in side-by-side relation beneaththe separator, the latter being supported for selective horizontal swinging back and forth across the buckets so that the contaminants may be discharged from the separator and into one bucket during emptying of the other bucket.

The invention also resides in the mounting structure for the separator and in the novel correlation of the mounting structure with uniquely arranged pumps for supplying dirty liquid to and sucking clean liquid from the separator.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of new and improved apparatus embodying the novel features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in apparatus for removing metal chips, swarf, grit and other contaminants from a flow of machine tool coolant delivered to the apparatus from a machine or machines (not shown) served by the apparatus, the coolant being returned to the machines for reuse after being cleaned. In general, the apparatus comprises a dirty liquid reservoir (FIG. 2) to which the dirty coolant is delivered through a pipe 12, a cyclone separator 11 to which coolant is delivered from the reservoir for cleaning, a surplus clean liquid reservoir 13 for receiving part of the clean coolant from the cyclone, and pumping apparatus 14 for delivering the dirty coolant to the cyclone and returning the clean coolant to the reservoir 13.

The cyclone 11 is of known basic construction and may be of the same general type as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,090 to which reference is made for details of construction and operation. At the upper end of the cyclone is an inlet section 15 (FIG. 3) defining a cylindrica] portion of a treating chamber into which the dirty coolant is directed, tangent to the chamber wall and with a slight downward inclination. From the upper section, dirty coolant swirls downwardly around the conical wall of a lower conical section 16 and creates an inner vortical flow of clean coolant which passes upwardly through the cyclone and out of an upper outlet 17. The contaminants and swarf (i.e., the underflow) continue to swirl downwardly around the conical section and are discharged out of the lower end 18 of the cyclone for collection and disposal.

In accordance with the primary aspect of the present invention, the cyclone 11 is supported to swing horizontally back and forth across a pair of side-by'side underflow buckets 19 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which are positioned just below the'lower discharge end 18 of the cyclone and alternately catch the dirty underflow discharged from the cyclone. With this arrangement, the underflow may be discharged into one of the buckets until the latter is filled and then may be swung horizontally into position to discharge into the other bucket while the filled bucket is being removed from the apparatus and emptied. As a result, the cyclone may be operated continuously and need not be shut down each time a bucketfull of underflow has been collected.

More specifically, the two underflow buckets 19 are positioned in side-by-side relation directly below the discharge end 18 of the cyclone 11 and are supported on a perforated screen 20 which covers the upper open side of a box-like tank 21 forming the main support of the apparatus. The tank is divided into two compartments, one being the dirty coolant reservoir 10 and the other being the clean coolant reservoir 13, by a trapezoidal-shaped plate 23 (FIGS. 2 and 3) located intermediate the end walls of the tank and by two baffles 24 and 25 (FIG. 3) extending from the side edges of the plate and located adjacent the sides of the dirty coolant reservoir. Any surplus clean coolant in the clean coolant reservoir 13 flows into the dirty coolant reservoir 10 through a passage 26 at the lower edge of the baffle 25 and is ultimately re-cycled through the cyclone 11. An overflow pipe 27 connected into the upper end portion of each bucket 19 leads into the dirty coolant reservoir 10 and dumps the underflow into that reservoir in the event that the bucket is inadvertently overfilled.

The pumping apparatus 14 includes a centrifugal pump 30 (FIG. 2) submerged in the dirty coolant reservoir 10, the pump having an inlet (not shown) communicating with the reservoir and having an outlet 33 connected by a flexible conduit 34 to the upper section 15 of the cyclone 11 to deliver the coolant to the cyclone. To drive the pump, an electric motor 35 is supported on a plate 36 overlying the tank 21 and includes a downwardly projecting output shaft 37 which is connected to rotate the pump. The motor also includes an upwardly projecting output shaft 39 connected to drive a secorid centrifugal pump 40 which is located just above the motor and whose outlet (not shown) is connected to supply clean coolant to the machines.

In carrying out the invention, the inlet 41 of the pump 40 is coupled by way of a swivel connection 43 to a swingable manifold 44 which overhangs the underflow buckets l9 and which supports the cyclone 11 on its outer free end. As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the manifold comprises an inverted U-shaped channel within which is supported a horizontal pipe 45 whose outer end portion is connected to the vertically extending outlet 17 of the cyclone. The inner end of the manifold pipe 45 is connected by a short piece of vertical pipe 46 to the swivel connection 43 and most of the clean coolant from the cyclone passes through the manifold pipe and the swivel connection to the inlet 41 of the pump 40 for delivery to the machines. A flexible conduit 47 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is connected into a by-pass outlet intermediate the ends of the manifold pipe 45 to deliver any surplus clean coolant to the clean coolant reservoir 13 for subsequent re-cycling through the cyclone.

Herein, the swivel connection 43 comprises a tubular outer-sleeve 49 (FIG. 2) which is connected rigidly to the vertical pipe 46 and which is telescoped over and sealed to a tubular inner sleeve 50 connected rigidly to and communicating with the inlet 41 of the pump 40. Ball bearings 51 located between the two sleeves support the outer sleeve 49 for rotation on the inner sleeve 50 and thus mount the manifold 44 for swinging relative to the stationary pump 40 about a vertically extending axis.

With the foregoing arrangement, the manifold 44 may be swung manually about the swivel connection 43 to position the cyclone 11 selectively above either of the buckets 19. Accordingly, one bucket may be removed off of the tank 21 and emptied while the cyclone discharges the underflow into the other bucket and thus the cyclone may be operated continuously and without any interruptions occurring during emptying of the buckets. Because the cyclone may be swung clear of each filled bucket, the latter may be lifted vertically from the tank 21 when the bucket is removed for emptying and, as a result, removal and replacement of the bucket may be effected easier than is the case when the bucket must first be shifted horizontally on the tank to avoid interference with the cyclone. By connecting the manifold 44 to the pump 40 with the swivel connection 43, the need for a flexible conduit between the manifold and the pump inlet 41 is avoided and, in addition, the motor 35 can be used to support the manifold as well as to drive the two pumps 33 and 40. The apparatus thus is comparatively simple and compact in construction.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus for decontaminating liquid, the combination of, a support, a pair of upwardly opening underflow buckets removably positioned in side-by-side relation on said support for collecting contaminants separated from said liquid, a cyclone separator located above said buckets and operable to separate contaminants from dirty liquid and to discharge said contaminants downwardly while producing a reverse upward flow of clean liquid, a motor positioned on said support and having upwardly and downwardly projecting output shafts, a first pump driven by said downwardly projecting output shaft and operable to supply dirty liquid to said separator, a second pump driven by said upwardly projecting shaft for sucking the reverse upward flow of clean liquid from said separator, a manifold extending horizontally of said second pump into overhanging relation with said buckets and having an outer end supporting said separator, said manifold including a pipe for receiving clean liquid from said separator and for'carrying part of such liquid to said second pump, said pipe having a by-pass outlet for delivering the remainder of said clean fluid back to said dirty liquid, and a swivel connection between said pipe and said second pump, said swivel connection supporting said pipe for swinging in'a horizontal plane and about a vertical axis thereby to enable horizontal swinging of said manifold to position said separator selectively over alternate ones of said buckets so as to permit one bucket to be removed from said support and emptied of contaminants while the separator continues to discharge contaminants into the other bucket. 

1. In apparatus for decontaminating liquid, the combination of, a support, a pair of upwardly opening underflow buckets removably positioned in side-by-side relation on said support for collecting contaminants separated from said liquid, a cyclone separator located above said buckets and operable to separate contaminants from dirty liquid and to discharge said contaminants downwardly while producing a reverse upward flow of clean liquid, a motor positioned on said support and having upwardly and downwardly projecting output shafts, a first pump driven by said downwardly projecting output shaft and operable to supply dirty liquid to said separator, a second pump driven by said upwardly projecting shaft for sucking the reverse upward flow of clean liquid from said separator, a manifold extending horizontally of said second pump into overhanging relation with said buckets and having an outer end supporting said separator, said manifold including a pipe for receiving clean liquid from said separator and for carrying part of such liquid to said second pump, said pipe having a by-pass outlet for delivering the remainder of said clean fluid back to said dirty liquid, and a swivel connection between said pipe and said second pump, said swivel connection supporting said pipe for swinging in a horizontal plane and about a vertical axis thereby to enable horizontal swinging of said manifold to position said separator selectively over alternate ones of said buckets so as to permit one bucket to be removed from said support and emptied of contaminants while the separator continues to discharge contaminants into the other bucket. 